


Summertime Sadness

by DiamondBlade



Series: Chiley Awakening [3]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: M/M, Male Homosexuality, Male Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-09-27 11:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20407006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondBlade/pseuds/DiamondBlade
Summary: Wrench comes up with a way to use Riley's and Chase's new relationship against them, and to obtain their Energems for Sledge.





	1. The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third piece I wrote of my Chase/Riley work. My actual original notes are at the end, so as to avoid spoiling anything that happens. A certain someone will show up in the next installment. If you remember the original upload of this, I wrote this before that someone was introduced on the proper series, so I think I retconned it in later chapters.

Sledge's ship hovers high above the city of Amber Beach. On the ship, Sledge's crew has ways to track the Rangers' activities. Wrench is staring at a monitor, when Poisandra walks in. "What are you doing?"

"Shh! This is getting good!" Poisandra approached the tin soldier and started to watch the monitor.

_"You know, we are alone, and nobody knows where we are. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

Poisandra shut off the monitor. "I can't stand happiness!"

"Pretty ironic, considering that happiness is your shtick," Wrench commented.

"I like happiness when it can be used for evil. Two Rangers dating isn't evil. That's... ACTUAL happiness. Barf!"

"For once, I agree with you!" Wrench walked away from the monitor and toward a different area of the bridge. "However, I have a plan that will rid them of their happiness and replace it with sadness! In fact, it won't just affect ONE of the other Rangers. It's so devious that it will affect the entire team, and some of their families!"

"Ooh, that DOES sound deliciously evil! What is it?"

"Well, I..."

~*~

Riley was still in High School, which was upsetting, since it meant that he'd have to be away from Chase during the day. With his recent profession of his feelings toward the Kiwi, he found it hard to focus on his studies. He could focus on his training - Chase was around, and he was an incentive for Riley to train as hard as he possibly could - but Chase wasn't at school. As much as he tried to focus, his attention would shift to Chase. His grades weren't slipping, though. He was always at the top of his class, so he could afford to slack off from time to time without affecting his overall performance.

It was time to get to Homeroom. Riley was walking toward his class, when he bumped into someone. "Excuse me."

"You'd better watch where you're going," the young, dark-haired male said.

Riley stopped and turned around. "I said, 'excuse me.' There's no need to be so rude." He paused. "Hey, I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?"

"Yeah," he replied, coldly. "What's it to you?"

"My name's Riley," he said, holding out his hand. "I'd like to be your tour guide to all things Amber Beach High."

The male looked at his hand with a puzzled expression, then slowly put his out. Riley grabbed it and shook it. "The name's Vincent. You can let go of my hand, now."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but it's just so soft. What lotion do you use?"

"Summertime Sadness," Vincent replied.

Riley let go of Vincent's hand. "That's an interesting brand. Is it foreign?"

"You could say that."

"We'd better get to our Homerooms. Mine's in Room 235. Where's yours?"

"Oh, mine's right here," Vincent said, looking around for a quick escape. "You'd better get going."

"Right! See you later! If you need anything, just hunt me down." With that, Riley ran to the stairs and up to his room.

Vincent smirked. "Oh, I'll definitely hunt you down." His eyes glowed blue for a second, then back to normal. He turned around and walked toward Riley's locker. He pulled out a note and stuffed it into the vent. Afterward, he walked down the hall, fading into nothing in a teleport effect.

~*~

The old 9th & J Pier hadn't been used for years, and the neglect showed in the overall condition of the facility. Vincent emerged from nothing onto the pier, walking toward a familiar figure. "The bait has been planted, Poisandra. Is your part of the plan ready?"

"Riley's going to love these new cement shoes!" Poisandra exclaimed with glee. "This is going to be fun!"

Vincent chuckled. "Oh, it's going to be fun, alright. Fun for us! Riley should be here in a few hours. Now, we just wait."

~*~

_"Class dismissed!"_

"Finally!" Riley jumped out of his seat and exited his last class of the day. On the way to his locker, he pulled out his phone and started to text Chase. When he opened his locker, he saw a note fall out with his name written on it. "This is from Chase! I know that chicken-scratch writing anywhere!" He opened it.

_Dear Riley, Meet me at the Pier for a romantic after-school picnic. I'll be waiting for you at 9th & J. Don't be late! Love, Chase._

"Aw!" He clutched the letter near his heart, then folded it up and stuffed it in his shirt pocket. He ended the text. "Forget that. I'll just tell you in person!" Smiling, he got the books he needed, closed his locker, and ran out to the driveway of the school. Bus 26 was the one that went down 8th Street. He could take that one to the intersection of 8th & J, by the Hotel, and just walk over to 9th Street. Having never been to that side of town - all he knew was the Museum and the few places nearby that he'd been taken to by the gang - this was going to be a new experience. He sat down on the bus and put on his headphones. The first song to come up was "My Boo" by the Ghostown DJs. He sang along in his head. _~"Boy, you should know that... I've got you on my mind..."~_

~*~

"It's time!" Vincent shouted. "Everyone, hide!" Poisandra and the Vivix hid behind the nearby poles and old shipping crates. Vincent turned toward the street and waited to hear Riley approach.

~*~

At the Museum, Chase was watching the clock, when Shelby walked in. When Chase didn't immediately acknowledge her, Shelby suspected that something was up. "Chase?" There was no response. She clapped her hands loudly. "CHASE!"

Chase shouted, falling off of his stool. He got up and shook his head. "Shelby! Don't sneak up on a man like that! You'll give me heart confarctions!"

"That's not even a word."

"Whatever." Chase shook his head. "What's up?"

"I could ask you the same thing. You were fixated on the clock. Is something wrong?"

"Riley should have been home by now," Chase said. "I'm getting worried. We were supposed to... TRAIN after he got out of school."

"Train? You?" Shelby laughed, then stopped when she saw Chase's serious expression. "Oh, you were serious?" Chase nodded. "Chase, Riley's a big boy. He can take care of himself."

"No, you don't know Riley. He's still a naive boy from the farm, trying to survive in the big city. His generosity and good-natured demeanor could get him into trouble if he met up with the wrong people."

"You're genuinely worried about him, aren't you?" Chase nodded. "I'd give him a few more minutes, then send out the search party."

He sighed. "You're right. I'll just wait. Thanks."

"No problem. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to work over at the Café. See you later!" Chase nodded. Shelby walked away, headed toward the restaurant.

Chase looked back at the clock, then down to his phone. "He does have that tracking app on his phone..."

~*~

_"Hello? Chase?"_ Riley approached the Pier. "Good, he's here. Time for Phase Two of my plan!" Vincent began to glow.

"Chase, are you here?" Riley looked around. When he didn't see him, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. _"Chase, I'm here. Where are you?"_

_"Riley? Is that you?"_

"Chase, I'm here!" Chase emerged from a shadowy corner. Riley sighed. "There you are!"

"Sorry to scare you, mate," Chase said.

Riley immediately stopped in his tracks. "You're not Chase."

"Of course I am, mate," he replied. "Why wouldn't I be me?"

"For starters, Chase has a New Zealand accent." Riley assumed a defensive stance, throwing his backpack to the side. "Now, who are you?"

Chase glowed, transforming into Vincent. "Do you recognize me now?"

"... VINCENT?"

~*~

Chase's phone beeped, with a text notification. He read it. "It's from Riley! 'Chase, I'm here. Where are you?' That's odd." After a second, he realized that Riley must be in trouble. "Oh, no." He started tapping his phone frantically. "Where is it...? Oh, there it is! Enter Riley's number, and..." The phone beeped again. "Bingo! I'm on my way!" He got out of his seat, threw down his skateboard, and skated off.

~*~

"You seem surprised, Green Ranger."

"Well, it's not every day that my boyfriend transforms into the new kid, and -- Wait a minute. That NEVER happens. And, wait another minute. How do you know that I'm the Green Ranger?"

"Easy..." Vincent transformed into Wrench. "I've been battling you for months now!"

"WRENCH." Suddenly, Riley was grabbed from both sides by Vivix soldiers. "Hey! Let me go!" He struggled to get free, but could not. He heard a female cackling evilly in the shadows. When she emerged, his eyes widened. "Poisandra?!"

"Are you happy to see me, you delectable little morsel?"

"Let me go!"

"Oh, I'll gladly let you go, once you try on the new shoes I've prepared for you! Vivix! Tie him up!" The Vivix soldiers obeyed their order, tying Riley into the nearby chair. Poisandra walked over to him, placing a large bucket down in front of him. "Put your feet in."

"What? No way!"

Poisandra sighed. "Fine, do it the hard way." She stepped aside. "Wrench, use your knockout ability and make him easier to work with."

"It'll take more than some dust to knock me out!" Riley started yelling, hoping to catch someone's attention. "LET ME GO!"

Wrench charged up one of his hatchets and fired at Riley, stunning him and knocking him out. One of the nearby Vivix soldiers placed Riley's feet in the bucket.

"Finally! Someone shut him up! Now, Wrenchykins, pour in the quick drying cement!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Wrench picked up a bag of quick drying cement and poured it into the bucket, while another Vivix soldier poured in the necessary water.

She reached for Riley's necklace, pulling it off. She grabbed his Energem. "Now, we wait. By now, that Black Ranger is probably onto us and will be coming --"

_"Riley! Where are you, mate?"_

"Right on cue," Poisandra cheered. "We'd better scram. Wrench, transform back into that boy." She hid back in the shadows, as did the Vivix soldiers.

"Yes, ma'am," Wrench said, glowing blue and transforming back into Vincent.

_"Hey, you! Have you seen a young male around here, about yay tall with sandy blond hair?"_

Vincent turned around. "As a matter of fact, I have. It'll cost you, though."

"I don't have time for games. He could be in trouble. I need to find him to make sure he's alright. Now, can you help me or not?"

"Like I said, I can help you for a price," Vincent replied, smirking.

Chase looked at him, confused. "What's with the smirk?" He looked around. "What's going on?"

"Oh, just this..." Vincent stepped aside, and a convenient sunbeam illuminated the area where a certain someone was tied to a chair.

Chase gasped. "Riley!" When he didn't respond, Chase grabbed Vincent by his shirt collar. "You little prick! What did you do to him?"

_"He didn't do anything to him. WE did something to him!"_

Chase knew that voice. "Poisandra!" He looked at Vincent. "That would make you..." Vincent kicked Chase in the balls, causing him to collapse to the ground. Chase gasped. "The boys!" He grabbed his crotch as he went down.

"Wow, that really does work," Vincent said, transforming into Wrench. "If I knew that would cause sadness, I'd be doing that instead!"

Coughing, Chase caught his breath and stood up. "Wrench! Poisandra! What do you want with Riley?"

"What do we always want, Black Ranger?" Poisandra asked. "ENERGEMS! We have one. Yours will make two. Hand it over!"

"What if I don't?"

"We'll drop your friend here into the lake," Wrench said. "Unconscious and wearing cement shoes, he doesn't stand a chance of surviving!"

Chase grabbed his Energem through his shirt, looking at the unconscious Riley, helpless and tied to a chair. "I... I can't do it."

"Have it your way," Poisandra said. "Vivix! Drop him!" A Vivix soldier cut a piece of rope, causing the dock underneath Riley to split open, and he fell into the water below.

Chase gasped. "RILEY!"

_ **TO BE CONTINUED...** _


	2. A Golden Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase is saddened over losing Riley, but a new hero shows up and saves the day!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I hinted at before, Ivan's description doesn't match the actual character, since this was originally written before he debuted on the series. Rather than change it, I preserved it in all its glory here. He's still as hammy as ever, which is one thing I definitely nailed about the character. Hope you like it (again)! :)

Chase's heart sank. He just stood by and watched Riley, a boy that he'd actually fallen in love with, be dropped into the lake by the very villains that, ironically enough, brought the two together. The sadness was overpowering. Chase fell to his knees, the tears welling up in his eyes. All the while, Wrench and Poisandra stood by, laughing at what they'd accomplished. Wrench held up one of his hatchets, which absorbed the dark cloud of sadness that now surrounded the Black Ranger.

"Keep it up, Black Ranger!" Poisandra exclaimed. "Your sadness is only making Wrenchy here stronger!"

_"I don't think so!"_ A mysterious voice shouted. Wrench and Poisandra looked toward an illuminated opening, where they saw a shadowy figure standing, holding a rather large saber. _"Your days of causing sadness by tearing apart a beautiful union such as that between Chase and Riley are over! I will not stand for it! I will defeat you, for I..."_ He leapt from his ledge and floated to the ground below. "...Am the Gold Ranger!"

Chase looked up. "A... A GOLD Ranger?"

"Where did you come from?" Poisandra asked. "No matter. Vivix! Attack!"

_"Raptor Blast!"_ A streak of green energy, headed by the Raptor insignia, flew through the Vivix, causing them to instantly dissolve.

Chase perked up. "I know that voice, but... How?" The Green Ranger walked onto the pier from a nearby loading house. Chase smiled. "Riley!"

"What?" Wrench asked. "But, you're supposed to be destroyed!"

"Moreover, WE have your Energem!" Poisandra was confused. "How are you morphed?"

"Well, I, um... I thought I had it," Wrench spoke.

"WHAT?! You were supposed to take it!"

"If I didn't take it, and you didn't take it... Uh-oh..."

"YOU FOOL! Wait until I tell Sledge about this! You're going to be reduced to scrap metal!" Poisandra teleported away in a mass of pink hearts.

"Poisandra, wait! Don't tell Sledge! I don't want to be recycled again!" It was too late, for she'd already disappeared. He turned toward the two Rangers. "I'll use this newfound energy to destroy the two of you. Taking out this new Gold Ranger will surely earn me a place in Sledge's hall of fame!"

_"More like, it'll earn you a place in his recycling bin!"_ Wrench turned and saw a now-morphed Chase standing right behind him, his Dino Blaster pointed squarely at his chest. "Try it, and you'll be destroyed."

"Chase, if you'll allow it, may I finish him off?" The Gold Ranger asked. "You two have had enough of a traumatic day. Allow me to dispose of this ruffian for you."

Chase looked at the Gold Ranger, then to Riley (smiling underneath his helmet), then to Wrench. "Fine." He popped open his Dino Com and took out one of his Para Chargers, tossing it over to the Gold Ranger. "Use this."

Riley followed suit. "Use one of mine, as well."

The Gold Ranger opened up his saber, which had room for three Chargers. He inserted Riley's, then Chase's, and finally his own. Closing the saber, it began to glow an interesting mix of gold, green, and black energy. He raised it up, charging up the attack. "ZANDAR..." Chase and Riley backed away.

Wrench turned toward the Gold Ranger. "Can't we talk about this?"

"...THUNDER!"

"Guess not!" With a slash, the words "ZANDAR THUNDER" materialized in the saber's attack for a brief time, before dissolving into an image of the Para, Raptor, and Ptera Zords, charging through Wrench's body, tearing him apart. "What a way to go...!" With an explosion, Wrench had been destroyed.

Chase ran over to Riley and gave him the tightest hug that he could. "Dude," Riley muttered, gasping for air, "I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry, mate," Chase said, letting Riley go. He turned toward the Gold Ranger. "I don't know who you are, but thank you SO much for saving my friend."

"You mean, your boyfriend?" He asked. "I know about your relationship. Didn't you hear my speech before?"

"I was too enveloped in sadness to really hear anything," Chase replied, demorphing in the process, "but, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for saving my boyfriend." Riley demorphed as well. "One thing confuses me, though. How?"

The Gold Ranger removed his helmet, allowing his long blond hair to breathe. He shook his head in an attempt to straighten it. "It was simple, really. I'd been alerted to Wrench's and Poisandra's activity here at the Pier, so I decided to sit tight and observe. I saw your friend walk into the trap that they'd set up for him, in an effort to get his Energem. When they tied him up, I saw Wrench remove the Energem from his neck and simply drape it over a hook on his waist. When they were waiting for you to arrive, that's when I made my move. Wrench fell asleep, which is when I gently removed the Energem necklace from his waist. After I successfully had the Energem, I cut Riley's ropes just enough that he could easily break free, if necessary. After that, I left and went to the underside of the dock, waiting to make my move. When your friend was dropped, I snatched him up before he even made it to the water, and flew him to safety, where I removed the bucket from his feet and used his Energem to revive him. The rest is history."

"That doesn't seem so simple," Riley commented, "but I owe you my life."

"What about the cement?" Chase asked.

"That wasn't cement mix that they used. It was cat litter. All it did was absorb the water."

"Well, we still don't know who you are," Riley said.

"Oh, pardon me," the Gold Ranger said, bowing down. "My name is Ivan. I was once one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. When I found the Gold Energem, I entered some sort of stasis, and stopped aging. I am, in fact, hundreds of years old, though I do not look a day over 21. It's an honor to meet the brave knights of today."

"You're a Knight of the Round Table?" Chase asked. Ivan nodded.

Riley squealed. "Incredible! First, a Caveman, and now, a Knight of the Round Table! Who else will we find through being Rangers?"

Ivan looked at Riley, confused. "Ran...gers?"

"Oh, sorry, mate," Chase explained. "See? When you transform into the spandex form, it's called morphing into a Power Ranger. I'm the Black one. Riley, here, is the Green one. We have a friend - Koda - who's a caveman, and also our Blue Ranger."

"I am confused by that terminology. I simply become this alternate form by inserting this jewel into this mystical invention on my wrist." Ivan pointed to his wrist-mounted morpher.

"Fascinating," Riley said, marveling at the device. He turned to Chase. "Why don't we have those?"

"I dunno. Maybe Kendall can shine a light on the subject."

"Ivan," Riley asked, turning to the Golden Knight, "will you allow us the honor of escorting you to our castle? The fair Princess Kendall would love to meet you."

"Lord Riley, it would be my privilege to meet your Princess."

Chase just shook his head. "This is going to be a long night..."

**Author's Note:**

> My original notes from the beginning, referred to in my text file as "Plot Bunnies"...
> 
> Wrench disguises himself as new student Vincent (inspired by Game Grumps Trauma Center's portrayal of 'Vincent') and either woos Riley into a date or sets him up for an ambush (I haven't decided yet, but the ambush sounds better). Chase follows the trail (or is lured into a trap - maybe this one) to Riley at the old abandoned 9th & J Pier (think Dick Tracy for the NES - might throw in some other references to stages there: 5th & A Hotel, 4th & B Shoe Repair, the Club Ritz, 9th & C Barber Shop), where Wrench reveals his true intentions and dumps Riley into the lake. End with Chase screaming, "RILEY!" (maybe stretch that out); Chase/Riley exists - perhaps follow up first story at the top with this one?


End file.
